Composition of matter

ABSTRACT

A WATER-SOLUBLE RUBBERY POLYMER FORMED BY THE REACTION OF AN EPOXIDIZED WATER-INSOLUBLE NEUTRAL RUBBERY POLYMER AND A WATER-SOLUBLE SECONDARY MONO AMINE.

United States Patent 3,661,874 COMPOSITION OF MATTER Melvin M. Olson, Richfield, Minn., assignor to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn.

N 0 Drawing. Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 871,529, Nov. 6, 1969, which is a continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 469,902, July 6, 1965. This application June 5, 1970, Ser. No. 43,970

Int. Cl. C08d 5/02, 3/08, 3/12 U.S. Cl. 260-833 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A water-soluble rubbery polymer formed by the reaction of an epoxidized water-insoluble neutral rubbery polymer and a water-soluble secondary mono amine.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 871,529, filed Nov. 6, 1969, which was, in turn, a continuation of my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 469,902, filed July 6, 1965, now abandoned.

This invention relates to novel water-soluble rubbery polymers and to compositions and products made therewith. a v

There has long been a commercial appetite for compositions to prime normally hydrophobic surfaces and render them hydrophilic. By and large, rubbery polymers adhere well to hydrophobic surfaces, but they, too, are hydrophobic and hence not especially receptive to watersoluble or hydrophilic coatings. The present invention provides novel hydrophilic rubbery polymers which adhere firmly to both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. These polymers, which are actually water-insoluble,can also be compounded with tackifiers and used in the manufacture of water-soluble normally tacky and pressuresensitive adhesives and other compositions having unique and valuableproperties.

In accordance with the present invention, water-insoluble neutral rubbery polymers are rendered water-soluble by a comparatively simple two-step reaction in which a.

significant number of the double bonds in the rubbery material are converted to epoxy groups, and the epoxy groups thereafter reacted with secondary amine molecules to provide a rubbery polymer characterized by the pressure of tertiary amino groups and hydroxyl groups. The resultant polymer is water-soluble, alkaline in aqueous solution, tough and leathery when dry, and still maintains a significant degree of elasticity. Interestingly, whereas the original rubbery polymers are soluble in a wide variety of organic solvents (e.g., methylene chloride, dioxane, toluene, benzene, and heptane), the modified water-soluble polymer is essentially insoluble in most organic solvents. A preferred rubbery polymer for use in preparing materials in accordance with the vpresentv invention is cis-1,4- polybutadiene, the double bonds in this polymer being especially susceptible to epoxidation. Other polymers, are useful, however, as will be shown.

Rubbery as the term is used in this application, is defined as possessing those physical parameters (exclusive of solubility) which are used to define a rubber. These parameters are given by the ASTM Standard D 1566-62T.

The appropriate part of the definition 'given therein for rubber reads as follows:

A material that is capable of recovery from large deformations quickly and forcibly A rubber retracts within one minute to less than 1.5 times its original length after being stretched at room temperature (20-27 C.) to twice its length and held for one minute before re- 3,661,874. Patented May 9, 1972 ice invention meet the above criterion.

As used herein, water-soluble is defined as requiring l0-30 parts of water to dissolve one part of solute; cf. Hackhs Chemical Dictionary, 3rd edition, McGraw-Hill (1944). i

That organic solvent-soluble, water-insoluble rubbery polymers can be made water-soluble and uonpolar solvent-insoluble, without detracting from their high molecular weight, while still maintaining their rubbery characteristics to a significant degree, is surprising. Thus, although natural rubber has been wholly or partially epoxidized and then cross-linked with primary amines, the resultant product is less rubbery, and even more water-insoluble than it was before. Secondary amines, of course, are not useful for this crosslinking reaction. Others have also reacted 2-methyl-2, 3-epoxy pentane, a model for natural rubber epoxide, with both primary and secondary amines, but there has been no suggestion that the reaction product is water-soluble, let alone that rubber itself could be rendered water-soluble by epoxidation and reaction to an appropriate extent with selected secondary amines.

Speaking in general terms, the more double bonds which are epoxidated, the greater the loss in rubbery characteristics sustained by the polymer. Accordingly, it is generally preferred not to convert all unsaturation to epoxy rings. The requisite degree of epoxidation to obtain watersolubility. is dependent upon both the specific rubbery polymer and the specific amine employed. Where the rubbery polymer is cis-l,4 polybutadiene, the maximum epoxy equivalent (i.e., molecular weight per epoxy ring) to achieve water solubility in a subsequent reaction with a secondary amine varies with the water solubility, steric hindrance, etc. of such secondary amines. For example, where the rubbery polymer is cis-1,4-polybutadiene and the secondary amine is morpholine, the maximum epoxy equivalent (grams of polymer per epoxy gram equivalent) has been found to be approximately 160. Where the secondary amine is dimethyl amine, the maximum epoxy equivalent for achieving water solubility has been found a to be approximately 210. It appears that roughly the same figures apply when rubbery butadienezstyrene copolymers or rubbery butadieneracrylonitrile copolymers are substituted for polybutadiene. When dimethylamine is used with polyisoprene, however, the maximum epoxyequivalent approaches 225.

Although a large number of secondary amines show utility in rendering epoxidized rubbery materials watersoluble, several general principles of selection have proved significant. For example, the greater the water-solubility of the amine, the more effective it is in rendering epoxidized rubbery polymers water-soluble; hence, infinitely water-soluble amines are generally preferred. Likewise, the less sterically hindered the amino nitrogen, the more readily it reacts 'with an epoxy ring. For example, the

. presence of side chains or ring units on the carbon atom adjacent the amino nitrogen is a great deterrent to the reaction. In the absence of steric hindrance, lower molecular weight secondary amines tend to promote water-solubility more effectively than higher molecular weight secondary amines, the reaction with epoxy rings occurring more rapidly, and the requisite degree of epoxidation of the rubbery polymer being lower. The more effective the 2-ethylaminoethanol, morpholine, 2,6-dimethyl morpholine, piperidine, l-methyl piperazine, and pyrrolidine. It will be notedthat the foregoing list includes both saturated and unsaturated straight chain aliphatic compounds, cycloaliphatic compounds, and G-member heterocyclic compounds, and secondary aminesin which two different types of substituent are attached to the amino nitrogen. Mixtures of secondary amines may also be employed to take advantage of their individual properties. Presence of certain groups in the vicinity of the amino nitrogen apparently inhibits or even prevents, the reaction with epoxy groups. For example, either the directattachment of a benzene ring to the nitrogen atom,.or branching of an aliphatic substituent within two carbon atoms of .the amino nitrogen seems to prevent reaction with anepoxide ring. Thus, N-methyl aniline, diisopropylamine, and diisobutylamine all perform more poorly than might be. suspected. It is noted that where the amino nitrogen is included in a heterocyclic ring, there appears to be essentially no problem of steric hindrance.

As previously indicated, water solubility of the finished product is affected both by the nature of the secondary amine and the degree to which it reacts with the epoxidized rubbery polymer. Where the polymer is cis-l, 4- polybutadiene, and where the secondaryamine is morpholine, water solubility occurs when 1% or morenitrogen isintroduced into the polymer. Where the polymer is poly isoprene and .the amine is dimethylamine, water solubility occurs with relatively extended agitation when only 0.5% nitrogen is present in the polymer. Due tothe extended reaction times necessary to both epoxidize and aminize polyisoprene, the use of this rubber is not favored. Preferably, however, at least about 2 to 3% nitrogen is introduced into the polymer, therebyproducing a polymer which is extremely useful in the manufacture of water-soluble normally tacky and pressure-sensitive adhesives. The percent nitrogen necessary to achieve water solubility varies with the specific amine employed; e.g., it will be somewhat lower for dimethylamine and somewhat higher for di-n-butylamine.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the following specific examples, which are presented solely for the purpose of illustration.

EXAMPLE 1 Epoxidation of cis-1,4-polybutadiene In a 1-liter, three-neck round bottom flask equipped with stirrer, dropping funnel, thermometer, nitrogen inlet, and reflux condenser, was placed 540 grams (0.5 mol of double'bond) of a 5% solution of 1,4-polybutadiene in toluene. The polybutadiene contained approximately 98% cis configuration and had a Mooney viscosity (ML 4 212 F.) of about 41. This polymer, as. available commercially from Goodrich-Gulf Chemicals Incorpo-. rated, Cleveland, Ohio, under the trade designation Ameripol CB-220, contains approximately 1% 2,6- ditertiary butyl p-cresol stabilizer. Into the flask was also placed 6.0 grams of acidic ionexchange resin, (available commercially from the Dow Chemical Company under the trade designation as Dowex 50WX12) which had been leached with acetic acid and dried with suction on a sintered glass filter, the acetic acid content of the thusdried' resin being 17.6%. To the flask was then added 15.4' grams of glacial acetic acid, making the total amount of acetic acid present 0.2738 mol. The mixture was conn.8..-7 li s ut n-T e ep .equ yal or a solids basis, was found to be 137.6 grams per epoxy equivalent, following the procedure outlined by Durbetaki in Analytical Chemistry, volume 28 (1956), page 2000.

Epoxidation may, of course, be carried out in a variety of other ways. For example, the ion exchange resin cata-i lyst and the acetic acid may both be replaced with formic acid, the time required for reaction being reducedtoapproximately 80 minutes, and the reaction temperature re quired being 21 to 24 C. Similarly, the polybutadiene may be dissolved in 1,4-dioxane and the hydrogenperoxide replaced with peracetic acid, employing" a somewhat longer reaction time. More complete .epoxidation may be obtained by using perphthalic acid, but this oxidizing agent is quite expensive, and hence less attractive commercially.

Conversion of epoxidized rubbery polymer to watersoluble polymer.-In a 500 ml., three-neck, round-bottomed flask equipped with stirrer, reflux condenser and nitrogen inlet was placed 248.5 grams of a 7.86% solu-' tion of epoxidized cis-1,4-polybutadiene in 1,4 dioxane, the epoxy equivalent of the rubber being 112.8 grams per epoxy group (i.e., 56.4% ofthe theoretical number of double bonds epoxidized). Next was added 15.2 grams (0.174 mol) of morpholine and 1.63 grams'(0.0174 mol) of-phenol.

It is well known that the amination of oxirane rings can be accelerated by weak hydrogen donors which serve as catalysts. Phenol and similar low molecular weight monohydric alcohols as well as water perform this function. While phenol is generally more active than water, the latter is preferred because it is more easily removed after the reaction is complete.

The mixture was stirred and heated on a steam bath for about 18 hours. The reaction mixture was then poured slowly into a large volume of benzene in order to precipitate the polymer. The precipitate was purified by dis-' solving it in methyl alcohol, re-precipit'ating in benzene, and re'dissolving in methyl alcohol. A water solution of the polymer could be obtained by adding the methyl alcohol solution to water and boiling the solution to remove the methyl alcohol, and trace amounts of benzene present,

yielding a clear water solution. Analysis of the polymer for percent nitrogen gave a value of 2.63 based on solid polymer, representing the reaction'of 25.4% of the a'vail able epoxy groups with morpholine, or conversion of 14.1% of the original linkages to tinuously stirred and heated at 60 C. for a period of 50 minutes, during which time 37.4 grams (0.55 mol) of 50% hydrogen peroxide was slowly added. Heating and stirring were then continued for an additionalS hours,

at the end of which time the rubber precipitated. Thetoluene was then poured off and sufficient 1,4-dioxane.

I oration of the solvent, theresulting thin coating displayed added to dissolve the rubber. The rubber was again precipitated by adding the solution to methyl alcohol, after which it was re-dissolved in methylene chloride to give excellent adhesion tothe polyester film surface, in marked contrast to most water-soluble materials. This product was used as a splicing tape in the manufacture of photographic essentially tack-free, although it displayed some adhesion for a slightly moist finger.

Preparation of water-soluble normally tacky and pressure-sensitive adhesive-A 26.9% methyl alcohol solution of the epoxidized cis-1,4-polybutadiene:morpholine reaction product described in a preceding section of this example, was blended with an equal weight (solids basis) of N,N,N,N-tetrakis (2 hydroxy propyl) ethylene diamine available. commercially as Quadi'ol from the Wyandotte Chemical Company. When knife coated on a 0.003 inch film of biaxially oriented, polyethylene terephthalate, using an aperture of 0.011 inch above the film, and the solvent then evaporated, the dried adhesive dis played very high wet grab, or initial adhesiveness. The room temperature adhesiveness was also measured on a Polyken ProbeTack Tester by forcing the end of a stainless steel rod, having a diameter of 5 mm. with an 0.002- inch crown and a surface finish of 5 microninches, against the surface of the adhesive at a rate of 1 cm./sec. and a pressure of 100 gms./cm. After a dwell time of /2 second, the force required to remove the rod at a rate of 1 cm./sec. was measured and found to be 533 grams, which is roughly twice as great as that for conventional transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, and about stand for 5 to 10 minutes. When the two ends of the paper were then clamped, respectively, in the upper and lower jaws of .a tensile tester, the force required to shear the bond measured at a jaw separation rate of 12 inches per minute was found to be 3.2 lbs. Increasing the nitrogen content of the rubbery polymer tends to decrease its tackiness but increase its shear strength.

The Quadrol in the composition just described functions as a water-soluble tackifier and plasticizer for the water-soluble modified rubber. Generally speaking, the tackiness of the adhesive is directly related, and the internal strength inversely related to the amount of tackifier present. Other tackifiers which may be employed include polyoxyethylene glycol having a molecular Weight of 400,

polyoxethylene glycol monophenyl ether, dodecyl aniline, p-n-butoxy phenol, and dodecyl phenol. Other plasticizers and tackifiers such as triethanolamine may be employed. Similarly, antioxidants such as 2,6-di-tert-amylphenol may be included in the adhesive.

Tabulated below are examples showing the effect of varying the epoxy equivalent of the modified rubbery cis- '1,4-polybutadiene, the secondary amine employed, and

EPOXIDIZED RUBBERtlMINE REACTION M01 M01 Water, Finished Epoxy ratio, ratio, percent product Tack- Internal equip A epoxyphenol' wt of Temp, Reaction adhesive, iness, strength, alent Amine amine Solvent amine solution 0. time, hrs. perceutN grams minutes Exam 1e:

23 110.5 Morpholine 0.67 Dioxane- 0.1 20 95 16 1.18 120.8 do 1.0' d0 0.1. 1 95 16 1.37 v 0. 1 0. 12 88 90 1. 42 167 33. 6

. 0.1 10 95 154.8 o v 1., -1 10 95 46 233 8.6 114.7 Dimethylamme 1. 0 0. 8. 8 90 24 2.01 625 5, 5 134.2 -do v 1.0 0.1 0.12 88 24 1.54 130 3.2 114. 7 Diethylamine 1. 0 0. 1 8. 48 90 24 1. 10 432 5. 2 117.3 di-n-Propylami 1.0 1 0 88 212 2.3 120 di-n-Butylamine- 1.0 0.1 10 90 90 1. 27 662 1.5 120 Diethan01amine 1. 0 0. 1 10 90 90 2. 44 208 0. 1 123.5 N-methyl benzylamine--- .1.0 0. 10 88 70 0 0,8 120 Piperidine 1.0 0.1 10 80 20 3.3 733 2.3

five tlmes as hlgh as for any prevlously known water-- EXAMPLE 17 soluble pressure-sensitiveadhesive.

The internal strength of the adhesive was measured by placing two one-half inchst rips of the tape in face-to-face relationship so that they overlapped each other by onehalf inch, resulting in a mutual adhesive contact'area of one-holf inch by one-half inch. The overlapped strips were then pressed together 'with a weighted roll and tensioned by the application of a force of 1000 grams applied between the free ends of'the two strips. The time for the face-to-face bond tofail by sliding apart was found to be ing operations, it is more important to have highinternal strength, and times of 30 minutes or higher before'failure are considered desirable.

Double-coated tape made by coating both surfaces of 8-lb. Crystex tissue with a solution of this adhesive displayed excellent adhesion to almostall surfaces. Because of the adhesives excellent adhesion and water solubility,

tapes of this type offer excellent potential for use asa repulpable splicing tape in paper mills, perhaps even for making high speed, or flying, splices. A 1% inch square I piece of this tape was placed between the overlapped ends of two 40-lb. kraft paper strips, rolled once in each direction with a 4 /z-lb. rubber roller, and allowed to A rubbery 76.5 :23.5 butadienezstyrene copolymer, having a Mooney viscosity (ML 4 212 F.) of 50-58, available from Shell Chemical Company, under the trade designation"GRS Type 1011 Synthetic Rubber, was epoxidiz ed' in the same manner as described in Example 1, the ultimate epoxy equivalent obtained being 186.1, representing a conversion of approximately 41.5% of the double bonds to epoxy groups. The raw rubbery copolymer is somewhat harder to epoxidize to the same degree as 'cis-l,4-polybutadiene. The epoxidized rubber, still tough and, when stretched, slowly returned to its original length. Following the same general procedure outlined in Example 1 (except for the use of 10% water in the catalyst system and the substitution of dimethylamine for the morpholine), the epoxidized rubbery copolymer was reacted with dimethylamine to obtain a water-soluble rubbery copolymer. When blended with an equal weight of Quadrol, the resultant normally tacky and pressure-sensitive adhesive had a tackiness value of 158 and an internal strength of 69.9, when tested as described in Example 1, making it useful as an adhesive for packaging tape.

'- EXAMPLE 18 A rubbery :20 butadienezacrylonitrile copolymer, having a Mooney viscosity (ML 4 212 F.) of 80, available from Goodrich Chemical Company under the trade designation Hycar 1014, was epoxidized in the same manner as in Example 17 to an epoxy equivalent of clearly'- indicate, by comparison of these characteristics 209.1, representing a con-version" of approximately 35% with the characteristics of the rubbers before treatment, of the double bonds in the original polymer. The raw the similarity in properties. The procedure for making butadienezacrylonitrile copolymer is even harder to products of these examples is-generally like those used epoxidize than the butadiene:styrene copolymer. Although in thepreceding examples with the conditions indicated less'elastic than the unmodified polymer, the epoxidized in the table below. Note that 1,4-dioxane was used as the product was still rough and fairly elastic. The epoxidiz'ed solvent for epoxidized rubber for all these examples. It polymer was then made water soluble by reacting it with should be noted that while the polyisoprene derivative is dimethylainine, as in Example 2. When blended with soluble, it required a relatively extended period oii'agitaan equal weight of Quadrol, the resultant normally tion to dissolve completely and form an aqueous solution.

REACTION CONDITIONS FOR EXAMPLES Moles of epoxidation reactants Reaction conditions epoxidation I Epoxy, Example Epoxidiz- Double Temp., equiva- No. Rubber Amine Epoxidizing agent ing agents bond Time v C. Solvent lent wt.

Cis 1,4polybutadiene. Dimethyl Formic acid plus 0. 285 1. 83 5 hrs, 8min. plus 65-67 Toluene... 131

amine. hydrogen peroxide. 2. 19 1hr., 27 min. 21 do Morp y do 0.285 1. 83 .-do 65-67 do 124 2. 19 22 do Piperldine .-do.; 0.2285 1.83 .do 65-71 do 131 23 Cis 1,4-polyisoprene Dimethyl Peracetic acid plus 0, 93 0. 986 2 hrs, 40 min. 6-22 do 223 ("AmeripoP SN amine. 4.85 g. anhydrous plus 1 3 hrs., v

600, Mooney vis- NaAc. 49 min. eosity 75-90). v 24 Butadiene: styrene Peracetie and plus 0.5 17 hrs. plus 2 hrs, 5-22 Methylene 200 (GR-S Type 1011). do 2N68Ag. anhydrous 0. 537 0. 5 35 min. chloride. a c. a I i 25 Butadiene acrylodo Peracetic acid plus 0. 5 0. 5 6 hrs. plus min- .9-30 do 183 nitrlle ("Hycar allhydmlls 1014). NaAc. V

' Finished product Reaction conditionaminat ion Moles of amination reactants Percent Moles added N, conversion Epoxy Temp, equivalent Percent of epoxy Example group Amine Time 0. H2O Phenol wt. N to amine 0. 2 1 0 19 hrs 59-63 1.3 0 425 3.29 3.45- 0 2 16 hrs., 10 111111-- 84' 2.1 0 02 522 2.68 28.6 0. 2 3 hrs, min 68-78 1. 6 0.0 432 2. 91 33, o 0, 24 21 hrs., 40 min. plus 60 hr 63 0.0 0.0 2, 640 0. 53 8. 6 0.12 191118 71 2.1 0.0 1,006 1.39 20.8 0.2 1.0 plus 1.0 16 hrs plus 6.5 hrs 67-69 3.4 0.0 922 1.52 20.9

600 ml. of methylene chloride was added to redissolve expoidized polymer which precipitated after addition of all peracetic acid. 2 1.2 moles of dimethylamine was added to the mixture after 21hours and 40 minutes, thenheati'ng was continued for 66 hours. 1 172 ml. of methanol was added to dissolve the polymer after 16 hours, at which time another 1.0 mole of amine was added.

tacky and pressure-sensitive adhesive had a tackiness The water-soluble polymers were prepared for testing value 'Of' and an internal-strength Of when spin casting a methyl alcohol olution of the tested as in Example 1. The presence of the polar OH polymer using a nitrogen sweep to speed drying il ggll giggl to enhance aflimty of the adheslve 9 minimize oxidative attack. Since these polymers are EXAMPLE 19 V afiected by humidity, the tests were performed in controlled humidity chambers. (The starting rubbers are not C15 1,4 P Y P (whlch has baslcany so afiected and tests on them were performed under same molecular structure as natural rubber), having a 1 Mooney viscosity (ML 4 212 1 of 75-95), available i fl fl t ilm oliditijZiSs BMTiIiDe4 1:81.612? procedure commercially from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company o Owe Y 1n 1 using an under h trade d i i N polyisiopriene b Instron tester except that thickness measurements used ber is epoxidized to an epoxy equivalent of, 180 and to determine tensilev strength were taken at 5 points rather rendered water-soluble :by reaction with dimethylamine. than 3 f the a portions f the b 11 The water'soluble polymer may be empolyed iasia Pruner ples. The thickness measurement closest to the break for hydrophobic substrates. or compounded; into an adhesive, as in preceding examples.

EXAMPLES 20-25 These examples illustrate the rubbery characteristics 7 y of the water-soluble polymers of this invention and water-soluble counterparts.

point was used rather than an average thickness as individe a comparison between the 'base rubbers: and their PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BASE RUBBERS Percent Tensile strength (pm. at elci gavarious elongatious) tion Pereflen:

Se a Rubber 300% Break break 1 break Remarks "Amen'poP CB 220 (compare with Ex. 20-22)-.. 15. 6" 124 V 5.86 '1, 406 Break occurred. Ameripol SN 600 (compare with Ex. 23) 44. 3 37.7 33.7 1,346 312 1 ,-Do. v GR-S Type 1011 (compare with Ex. 24) 31. 1 28. 9 30. 9 1, 833 258 No break occurred at maximum Instron Y setting.

Hycar 1014 (compare with Ex. 25) 51. 4 54.7 41.7 1,738 168 Do.

catedinthe ASTM procedure. The tables below'pro- PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER-SOLUBLE RUBBERS Tensile strength (p.s.i. at Percent various elongations) elonga- Percent Relative tion at set at Example No. humidity 150% 300% Break break break Remarks 35 137 171 366 692 5 4 Break.

38 57. 6 65. 8 101 1, 366 43. 7 Break.

35 94. 6 102 137 1, 308 53. 6 Break.

50 63. 7 60. 9 1, 800 No break at maximum Instron setting so no tensile at break measured.

35 127 189 867 687 3. 1 Break.

35 1, 270 1, 710 1, 745 325 22. 6 Break.

33 36. 4 40. 5 114. 2 1, 450 181 N 0 break values given at maximum Instron extension.

50 25. 8 27. 9 60. 2 1, 517 204 Break.

The man skilled in the art will recognize that it is not feasible to set forth all the variations to which this invention is susceptible, and many modifications will readily suggest themselves. For example, the higher the molecular weight of the rubbery polymer, the greater the number of tertiary amino groups required to induce an equivalent degree of water-solubility. Likewise, the watersolubilizing ability of a given secondary amine is enhanced if the amine compound also contains OH or other polar groups. Where it is desired to have a polymer which is water-soluble but which can be cross-linked to an insoluble state, it is possible to introduce compounds which react with either two or more epoxy rings or two or more hydroxyl groups under the stimulus of, e.g., heat. For example, dihalogen compounds such as ethylene dichloride, dichloromethyl ether, and a,w-dichloropolyoxyethylone may react with the tertiary amino groups, thereby forming water-soluble crosslinking salt bonds. The rate of crosslinking may be suitably controlled by selecting dihalogen compounds having the desired degree of reactivity. Where desired, these compounds may be encapsulated in capsules which rupture under a predetermined threshold stimulus of heat or pressure. Crosslinking may be similarly effected through the OH groups with glyoxal or a formaldehyde donor such as hexamethylene tetramine. Such adhesive compositions lend themselves to the preparation of self-sustaining thermosetting pressuresensitive adhesive transfer tapes, (i.e., tacky but curable adhesive films provided with a removable liner), as well as strong but water-soluble crosslinked adhesives, such as for a repulpable splicing tape useful in paper mills.

Normally tacky and pressure-sensitive adhesives made with the water-soluble rubber polymers of the present invention display excellent adhesion to a wide variety of materials, and, because such adhesisves are also watersoluble, they stick tenaciously when applied but can be removed by soaking in water. Adhesives of this type may be employed in the preparation of water-activatable labels, thereby making their application simultaneously simple and effective. Because the modified rubbery polymers are essentially inert to most organic solvents, adhesives made with the polymers may be useful for attaching labels to fuel lines, hydraulic fluid lines, cooking oil containers, and the like. The hydrophilic nature of pressure-sensitive adhesives of the type described herein also reduces static electricity problems which plague the users of many conventional tape products and may eliminate the need for antistatic backsizes in most situations. The electrical conductivity of these adhesives also suggests their use for holding electrodes in place in electrocardiographic work. Both the conductivity and the bacteriostatic properties of the adhesive may be enhanced by reacting it with methyl bromide to form quaternary salts.

What is claimed is:

1. A water-soluble rubbery polymer, alkaline in aqueous solution, consisting essentially of the reaction product of an epoxidized water-insoluble neutral rubbery polymer selected from the class consisting of cisl,4-polybutadiene, butadienezstyrene copolymer, butadiene:acry1onitrile copolymer and cis-l,4-polyisoprene and a water-soluble secondary mono amine, with said epoxidized rubbery polymer having a maximum epoxy equivalent of about 225.

2. The water-soluble polymer of claim 1 wherein the neutral rubbery polymer is cis-l,4-polybutadiene.

3. The water-soluble polymer of claim 1 wherein the neutral rubbery polymer is a butadienezstyrene copolymer.

4. The water-soluble polymer of claim 1 wherein the neutral rubbery polymer is a butadienezacrylonitrile copolymer.

5. The water-soluble polymer of claim 1 wherein the neutral rubbery polymer is cis-l,4-polyisoprene.

6. The water-soluble polymer of claim 1 wherein the secondary amine is morpholine.

7. The water-soluble polymer of claim 1 wherein the secondary amine is dimethylamine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,660,563 11/1953 Banes et al. 26094.7 X 2,781,335 2/1957 Culpery 260--85.7 2,927,100 3/1960 Canterino et al. 260 -s3.5 3,336,253 8/1967 Wong et al. 260-292 JOSEPH L. SCHOFER, Primary Examiner W. F. HAMROCK, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

26085.l, 94.7 N, 96 R, 32.6; ll7122 P; 16l88 

